Accessories and decorations

Figuring out what else can or should go in your aquarium can occupy a surprisingly large amount of time because it really is a very open category.  Are you a high tech junkie?  Do you like to grow live plants or are you satisfied with plastic plants?  Should your aquarium have a natural look with real wood and rocks or do you want a set up that is a bit more…fantastic with a castle, a sunken ship, and a plastic skeleton drinking from a jug of rum with air bubbles rising all over the tank?  Should you have a solid color background or a picture of some sort?  This is the part that really defines the aquarium as yours (aside from what living organisms you put in).

If you like high tech gadgets, there are expensive ways to measure water parameters like salinity or pH.  There are automatic top-off units or supplement dosers; programmable light dimmers or power strips that turn water pumps on and off.  There are a veritable plethora of options for people who enjoy playing with high tech or fancy bells and whistles, but they are not always necessary.  Your best bet is to come into the shop and talk to us.  There is usually more than one way to get the same look for your tank.

As far as decorations go, the sky is the limit.  Most fish don’t care much about what the decorations in the tank look like, but you do want to make sure that you don’t have anything that will change your water chemistry in a bad way (wood in saltwater or shells with soft water fishes).  We have found that it is possible to have so many air-action ornaments that the fishes are constantly terrified by all of the motion, but the ultimate decision is yours.  Look around at other tanks you may see or even pictures in books and magazines to see what appeals to you.  We don’t judge our customers based on the choice of decorations.  If you like real wood, go for it?  If you like the swimming dog with the clear diving helmet, go for it.  It’s your tank and your money, so it’s entirely your choice.